Occupational Choice: A Conceptual Framework

The problem of explaining why people enter different occupations can be approached from various perspectives. It is possible to examine the ways in which changes in the wage structure and other economic factors channel the flow of the labor force into different occupations, in which case the psychological motives through which these socioeconomic forces become effective are treated. An approach would focus upon the stratified social structure, rather than upon either the psychological makeup of individuals or the organization of the economy, and would analyze the effects of parental social status upon the occupational opportunities of children. Each of these perspectives, by the nature of the discipline from which it derives, excludes from consideration some important variables that might affect occupational choice and selection. Representatives from the three disciplines—psychology, economics, and sociology—have collaborated in the development of a more inclusive conceptual framework.